Propane Refrigerant

PageCopy1

​​R-290 is the term used to describe Propane, used as a refrigerant. Propane as a refrigerant solves many problems, but it also has some drawbacks – it all depends on the application in which it’s used.

As seen in the chart below, the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of R-290 is far more appealing than R-404A.

Special Use Cases for R-290 (Propane as a Refrigerant)

There are several considerations to take into account when determining whether or not R-290 will work for the application you have in mind.

150g charge limit

The charge limit reduces the number of applications R-290 can be used.

Electrical components (UL471 / EN60079-15)

The electrical components of systems that use R-290 require the use of sealed or gas-tight electrical components that are fire/explosion proof.

Additional safety measures

Additional safety measures should be taken while installing and servicing systems that use R-290. Measures include additional ventilation requirements and the use of leak sensors.

Manufacturing safety

Special charge & leak detection processes (use sentences)

See the chart below for additional information on how the 150g charge limit impacts the applications in which R-290 can be used:​

Due to the volatile nature of Propane, R-290 requires some special considerations technicians need to keep in mind while performing service on systems using R-290. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Many of our products today are already compatible with R-290. Please reference the chart below to see which products are compatible with R-290 in low and medium temperature applications: